An inTREEsting meeting
by piptook
Summary: (Written for Marigold's challenge 13) Did Merry and Pippin ever find the Entwives for Treebeard...?


Merry took another bite out of the apple in his hand, and then looked over at his cousin lying next to him. "Remember when we were with Treebeard?" Merry and Pippin had been doing what they did every anniversary of the day that they left the Shire with Frodo: laid down in a quiet field somewhere and talked about everything that had happened to them on the quest. Today, they happened to be lying under a huge oak tree, eating a picnic.  
"Yes, remember how uncomfortable it was sitting in those darn branches? I swear my bum is still sore from it!" Pippin laughed and munched on a piece of bread. Merry laughed along with his friend, then remembered something.  
"When we were talking to him, before we left, he said he wanted us to look for something back here in the Shire, the girl versions of him, oh darn it, what were they called?"  
"Entwives?" Pippin said helpfully  
"Yes, entwives. Have you been looking for them?"  
Pippin sat a bit thinking, "Well, yes I have been looking, but since we don't really know what they are supposed to look like, I didn't really know what to look for! What do you suppose they look like?"  
"Well, I've always imagined they look like Treebeard, but more female."  
"How does a tree look more female? Does it wear a dress" Pippin and both burst out laughing.  
"Oh yes, complete with curly golden hair" Merry said, laughing harder still.  
"A tree might look a little ridiculous with golden hair and a dress, I mean Treebeard and the other ents were already weird looking!"  
"WEIRD LOOKING!" The tree above them shuddered.  
"Pippin…did that tree just….just yell?" Merry stammered, looking over at his cousin  
"Tree, I am not an ordinary tree! I am an ent!" The tree then swung one of its branches, knocking the apple from Merry's hand "How DARE you insult my kind!"  
"Merry! It's an ent! We found an ent!" Pippin laughed "Imagine what Treebeard would say if we ever told him we found an ents in the Shire!" Pippin lowered his voice and imitated Treebeard, "Hoom Hoom, You've found ents? Well done Master Hobbit Hoom hoom!"  
"Treebeard? You have heard of Treebeard?" The tree bent closer to the hobbits, eager to learn more.  
"Yes, we are quite good friends of his, do you know him?" Merry gazed up at the tree Ents in the Shire, Frodo and Sam are never going to believe us!  
"Of course I know Treebeard! I was his wife some time ago!"  
"You're an entwife?" Pippin looked the tree over, it didn't look much different than Treebeard, he had expected something…different.  
"Yes, hoom, I am. Is that a problem young hobbit!" The tree glared at Pippin, her kind air disappearing in an instant.  
"No problem at all!" Pippin sqeaked, hiding behind his cousin, "Treebeard mentioned you to us a few years ago, we've been looking for entwives such as yourself, and well, you just didn't look like I thought you would that's all."  
The tree's demeanor changed instantly back to kindness "He has been looking for us?"  
"There are MORE of you?" Merry gaped, as long as he had lived he had never seen any hint of living trees, and now this tree said there were many?  
"Yes, not as much as before, but a fair amount of us are left. Tell me, where could I find Treebeard? We lost him and the other ents years and years ago, we assumed they had died off, but you say they are still alive?"  
"Very much alive! They live in Fangorn Forest!" Pippin came out from behind his cousin, glad to see the tree had decided to become friendly again.  
"Fangorn! This is great news! Thank you Master Hobbits, I shall take my leave now, along with the other entwives, we are forever in your debt!"  
"No problem at all Miss" Merry bowed to the tree, then nudged Pippin into doing the same.  
"Yes, no problem at all! But, we have one favor to ask you." Pippin bowed quickly then looked up at the tree again. Merry glanced, confused, over at his cousin.  
"What could I do for you Master Hobbit?" The tree said kindly.  
"Just tell Treebeard that Merry and Pippin say hello and send their hopes that he is all well!" Pippin smiled at the tree, Merry nodded and smiled at the oak as well.  
"Very well Master Pippin, I will give him your message. Again, thank you in assisting me, goodbye." The tree then uprooted itself, made a very loud noise that sounded very much like "COME!" and to Merry and Pippin's amazement, half the forest they were sitting in, also uprooted itself, and followed the oak they met away in the direction of Fangorn.  
"Wow, ents in the Shire! I never thought I would see the day!" Pippin sat back down and gazed up at the sky. "Do you think Sam and Frodo will ever believe us?"  
Merry plopped down next to his cousin, grinning broadly and said quietly "Not a chance!"


End file.
